I have a couple of keyboards where I can change the midi out channel. However, it seems that BiaB always shows channel 5. I would have thought that if I change my midi channel I would get a different instrument depending on what instrument is mapped to that particular midi channel. Is there a setting I am missing here?
MIDI data only gets input in BIAB via the thru channel, accepting input from the port you specified in MIDI setup screen. BIAB doesn't care what channel your keyboard is set to, but it's going to deal with it on your computer as channel 5.
John
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John, I hear what you are saying but this seems weird to me. Why would there be an option to change from ch 5 to another channel if the computer doesn't card what my keyboard is sending?
If I played a midi file on my computer, then would each channel be a different instrument?
I could be wrong, but I believe the BIAB can "listen" to receive MIDI data on all 16 channels, but will then process that input on channel 5 (because, for example, if you have a softsynth enabled, it will need to send that incoming data on some channel to that softsynth to be able to hear it on the computer.
John
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In addition to what John has said, you would want to know what channel onto which BIAB exported MIDI data if you took that MIDI file into another program. You would connect channel 5 to a particular sound, channel 2 to bass etc. to play back the file using the right sounds (called patches). Same thing as John said, to play the song on a software synth it needs to know what channels are what patches.
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I think many/all of the above responses are basically correct but here is a better explanation I think.
I have a Roland Sound Canvas. I can set it up so that each midi channel sounds a different instrument. On BiaB, this isn't possible, why? Well, BiaB when it sends midi data on the midi out channel, it sends many different midi channel notes. So, If I used my keyboard to input midi data to BiaB, there would be confusion if I sent say midi channel 2 commands while at the same time BiaB was trying to output notes on Channel 2. So, the solution is to let BiaB listen on its midi input to any midi channel but ignore the channel and basically assume it is in this case Channel 5, where channel 5 is unused. This way thee is no conflict.
Generally, anything that is sent to midi in is reflected exactly and outputted by midi thru. BiaB really doesn't have a true midi thru channel. BiaB midi out consists of what BiaB produces plus midi in, converted to channel 5.
Interesting. I see what you are saying. I didn't think BIAB worked that way, spraying the input on the Thru channel out over all channels along with BIAB's other sounds (if that's what you mean). Someone who records with MIDI keyboards will know better.
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I have a Roland Sound Canvas (SC-8850) also. I’m not sure I fully understand your situation or what you are saying, BUT what you said in the last post is not correct (unless I misunderstood it).
Using standard, DEFAULT BIAB settings, my Thur Channel is set to 5.
As long as the "MIDI input" device is the one that my MIDI keyboard is connected to, no MATTER what channel or CHANNELS, in the case of a workstation that can send on multiple channels at once, the iRig is set to send on - BIAB re-sends (re-maps is a better term) that MIDI data back out on the specified BIAB THUR channel (assuming THUR is enabled in BIAB). In my case, that is the default Thru channel 5.
That is what John said in his first and second posts. And there is NO conflict going out the "MIDI out" device.
As an exercise I set my iRig Keys pro to send on Channel 1 and verified it (with any MIDI monitor tool – like BAIB MIDI monitor or MIDI OX or pick on…)
Next pick any song. A GM song is better in this case, for testing purposes, since you know any SC will respond correctly. Make sure song has more than a one MIDI part (so you can see/hear they are not mixed going out to SC onto one channel or "conflicted" with thru latter, in the Sound Canvas.
Make sure you not using any VSTI’s and that MIDI from BIAB is being routed OUT a physical "MIDI out" device.
Play any song, each part goes to correct channel in SC-8850 and no matter what I play on iRig (or any external keyboard) it goes to SC-8850 on channel 5.
I can even change iRig send channel in mid-song to any channel and it comes into BIAB and goes back out on 5.
NOW if you want to, or need to for some reason, you CAN set Thru channel to be a channel already in use by another BIAB part. For example, Channel 3 for the Piano. THEN BIAB will "merge" the BIAB songs (already in use) piano MIDI notes with YOUR keyboards input MIDI notes - and send that out on CHANNEL 2.
Larry
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As I mentioned above, if 5 is not to your liking, you can change to any other channel out in BIAB. But, like Highlander, 'There can be only one' on the Thru Out.
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In simplest terms A HARDWARE device NORMALLY passes "through" to the MIDI THRU port any, and ALL, channels and MIDI data that come in the MIDI IN port unmodified (usually).
So if N channels of data come in, doesn't matter WHICH channels, then N channels of data go right back out on the MIDI THRU port, and on the same channel assignments they came in on, with minimal delay (for most HW it is usually not more than around ~3 milliseconds - but that delay adds and becomes noticeable if you start chaining HW MIDI IN's to MIDI THRU's after just 2-4 synths (depending on SYNTH mfg and its vintage) .
And let us not confuse MIDI THUR with MIDI OUT. Usually you (via programming) and the unit (depending on functions on capabilities) decide what, if anything, that comes in MIDI IN goes to the MIDI OUT plug - it may or may not be what came in, it more or may not be on the same channels, it may not even be ANYTHING that came in at all..
SOME units have a dual purpose port and YOU decide if that port is assigned as a THRU or an OUT.
After all my hot air above - BIAB is NOT a HW device, and for good or bad the PG programmers decided (and probably because MOST channels are needed by BIAB for all the BIAB parts if you are sending them out to a MIDI synth like a Sound Canvas) that they would allow for, and assign, ONE channel as a THRU channel for whatever use the user wants, - as simple as that.
Good Luck Larry
Last edited by Larry Kehl; 07/03/1601:29 PM.
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Adding to Larrys most excellent information; A common use for the BiaB THRU port midi data is to send the data to an external device like a vocal harmonizer. The vocal harmonizer reads the midi data as a musical score then generates audio that sounds like vocal harmonies.
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